7. Rogue Trooper #1
Publisher: IDW Release Date: 26th February 2014 So I thought I may as well start things off with my wild card for next month, Rogue Trooper #1 from IDW Publishing. My brother, who is (much) older than me, recently handed down a nice stack of 90s British comics, and among them was a large amount of Rogue Trooper - the final member of a genetically engineered squad of soldiers, who were used to fight a war on Nu-Earth. The character's blue skin was an effect of the engineering that allows him to be on Nu-Earth's toxic surface without being poisoned. I read through the comics and, while they were enjoyable, couldn't help but think that they would benefit from a modern rebirth. Well would you believe it? IDW have teamed up once again with 2000AD to give the character just that. If this can be the more mature reboot that I have been hoping for, then this will be a must-buy for months to come! All that concerns me is the creative team - not because they're bad however - simply because I haven't heard of them. While artist Alberto Ponticelli may be familiar to some of you from his work on DC's Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE, writer Brian Ruckley is entirely unknown to me, and seems to be a relative newcomer to the industry. This may not be a bad thing. Ruckley may end up being the newly discovered hot talent of the year, however I cannot make that assumption having not seen any of his work. That being said I know the source material has potential, and Alberto Ponticelli is a very capable artist. So while I can't guarantee that Rogue Trooper will be a hit, I am certainly optimistic. So be sure to have this one on your radar come the end of February.